Ala Moana Bowls Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple weeks.

Honestly, the first week or so is a bit of a struggle. We’ve got a lot of days where the conditions just aren’t coming together right. The wind is almost always a fresh cross-offshore breeze, but the swell is often small, short-period, or just not well-organized. The big standout for this whole period is going to be way down the line, around the 28th of July. That’s where the real hope is.

Let’s start with what’s on offer. The only break we’re looking at is Ala Moana Bowls. It’s a fairly consistent reef break, advanced, and it’s exposed to the swell. The water temp is about 79°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year.

On Monday the 13th, we have a tricky situation. The morning has a 6 ft swell from the ENE with a short period of 8 seconds (combined energy 633 - moderate) and a 30 km/h cross-offshore wind. The afternoon sees a drop to 3 ft but with a really nice 15-second SSW groundswell (energy 542 - moderate). The wind is still cross-off. The problem is both are flagged as marginal, so it’s not a great call. The short period in the morning means choppy, weak waves, and the long period in the afternoon might be too lined up for a beach break, but at Bowls, it could be workable. Still, it’s not a day to get excited about.

The next few days, from Tuesday the 14th through to the 24th of July, are mostly a write-off. We see a lot of small swell (2 ft to 6 ft), with periods all over the place, and the wind stays in that cross-offshore range. The energy levels bounce around from weak (47) to moderate (500-600), but the scores are all low. There’s a few afternoon windows on the 18th, 19th, and 22nd where the swell gets a bit bigger (5 ft to 6 ft) but it’s all short-period ENE windswell, so it’s going to be a bumpy, messy ride. Not worth paddling out for.

Then we hit the real gem. On the 28th of July (Tuesday), we get a solid swell. The morning shows a 6 ft swell from the ENE with a 13-second period, and the combined energy jumps to a strong 1020. The afternoon gets even better: 6 ft from the same direction, with a 12-second period and a massive energy reading of 1156. The wind is a moderate cross-offshore breeze from the ENE at 20-25 km/h. This is the standout. That’s a lot of water moving, and for Ala Moana Bowls, that ENE direction is good. The period is solid, the energy is high, and it’s the best looking window in the whole forecast. The only bummer is the crowds – they’re listed as “often”, so expect a few familiar faces out there. It’s a bit of a wait, but this one looks promising.

So, to sum it up: the first two weeks are mostly a washout with small, wind-affected surf. Hang tight, rest up, and pencil in the 28th of July. That’s the day to clear your schedule for Ala Moana Bowls.

- Rusty

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